See events happening this October in Illinois.

Illinois pumpkins

Fall Festival at Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center

Sept. 9-Oct. 30, 2023, South Barrington

You couldn’t ask for a better place to enjoy all the bounties of fall than Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center. Their fall festival, which goes from mid-September until the end of October, offers endless activities and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Visitors will enjoy the staples of any fall festival – corn maze, wagon rides and pumpkin picking – but that’s not all. Goebbert’s Farm & Garden Center features attractions that you just can’t find anywhere else, such as a mechanical pumpkin-eating dinosaur, camel rides and a giraffe barn. To learn more, visit goebbertsgardencenter.com or call (847) 428-6727.


Hardin County Fluorspar Festival

Hardin County Fluorspar Festival

First weekend in October, Rosiclare

Located on the banks of the Ohio River, Rosiclare was once known as the Fluorspar Capital because so much of the uniquely colored mineral could be found under its soils. Each year, the community recognizes fluorspar’s influence with a downtown festival.

Held the first weekend in October, the Hardin County Fluorspar Festival features a carnival, hickory-smoked barbeque, a pet parade, food and craft vendors, a quilt show, an open house at the American Fluorite Museum, car shows and a large parade. The weekend also includes local musical talent and a finale featuring a large fireworks display at the City Park on the Ohio River.

To learn more, visit hardincountyil.org.


Grundy County Corn Festival logo
Photo credit: Grundy County Corn Festival

Grundy County Corn Festival

Sept. 27-Oct 1, 2023, Morris

The Grundy County Corn Festival returns for its 73rd year in 2022, offering five days of exciting activities and entertainment. The event celebrates Grundy County’s rich agricultural history with craft shows, live music, a carnival, a 5K run and plenty of delicious food. Organizers encourage visitors to dress in their best jeans and flannels and stroll the decorated streets of downtown Morris while enjoying the festivities.

For more information and the complete event schedule, visit cornfestival.org or call (815) 942-2676.


Jersey County Apple Festival

Oct. 7, 2023, Jerseyville

The Jersey County Historical Society is celebrating the harvest season with its annual Jersey County Apple Festival. To honor the long history of apple orchards in the region, the festival offers a wide variety of foods for visitors to sample, including locally grown apples, apple pies, cakes and fresh apple cider. Attendees of all ages will also enjoy musical entertainment, craft booths, a quilt raffle and a children’s play area with games, face painting, a bounce house and children’s activities.

The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cheney Mansion in Jerseyville. To find more information, visit the Jersey County Historical Society on Facebook or call (618) 498-3514.


Photo credit: Jeffrey S. Otto

Barry Apple Festival

Sept. 28-Oct. 1, 2023, Barry

An apple a day isn’t nearly enough for the residents of Barry. They celebrate their favorite fruit with an entire festival devoted to it. The annual event draws a crowd that’s much larger than the town’s entire population. Spanning a whole weekend, the festival is filled with activities for people of all ages and interests. From apple pie contests to talent shows and pageants, there’s no shortage of friendly competition here. There’s also a quilt booth, a car show, a pet parade, bingo, live music, excellent food and more. Check out the Facebook page for a full list and schedule of activities.


Highwood Pumpkin Festival
Courtesy of Chris Cizek

Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival

Oct. 6-8, 2023, Highwood 

If you’re hoping to see a spooky-scary jack-o’-lantern this season, don’t miss the annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival. A main focus of the event has always been to beat the Guinness World Record for the most jack-0′-lanterns carved and lit at the same time, making for a can’t-miss display. Festivalgoers can also enjoy exciting activities, including all-you-can-carve pumpkins, trick-or-treating, a pumpkin parade, costume contest, petting zoo, carnival rides, delicious food and amazing live music all weekend long.

Learn more about this year’s festival at highwoodpumpkinfest.com.


Scarecrow Daze Festival

Oct. 7, 2023, Shelbyville 

Celebrate fall in downtown Shelbyville at the annual Scarecrow Daze Festival, the city’s largest street festival of the year. The town welcomes the season with scarecrows on display as well as themed decorations at homes and businesses. Other festivities include a parade from Forest Park to downtown, kids’ games and activities, live music, a scarecrow costume contest, and more than 50 food and crafts vendors. For more details, visit facebook.com/scarecrowdaze or call (217) 774-2221.


chili peppers
Photo credit: Unsplash/Elle Hughes

Chilifest

Oct. 7-8, 2023, Taylorville

A can’t-miss tradition, the Taylorville Chilifest will be held Oct. 1-2 at the downtown Taylorville square. This two-day event features a cornhole tournament, more than 100 crafts vendors, two stages of live entertainment, a pageant and, of course, chili! In fact, the event is heralded as an International Chili Society cook-off event.

The Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce presents the annual festival, and you can learn more at facebook.com/taylorvillechamber or by calling (217) 824-4919.


Burgoo Festival logo
Photo by LaSalle County Historical Society

Burgoo Festival

Oct. 7-8, 2023, Utica 

This unusual food festival celebrates 53 years with its namesake stew and family-friendly activities including a classic car show, music, blacksmithing demonstrations, children’s games and more. Volunteer vegetable choppers and kettle stirrers prep the burgoo, a traditional pioneer beef and vegetable stew, over a wood-burning fire for 12 to 18 hours on Saturday. Festivalgoers can dig in starting at 9 a.m. Sunday. Call (815) 667-4861 or visit lasallecountyhistoricalsociety.org/burgoo for more details. 


Galena Country Fair

Galena Country Fair

Oct. 7-8, 2023, Galena 

Held in picturesque Grant Park, the Galena Country Fair happens every Columbus Day weekend. The fair features a bustling farmers’ market, plus more than 150 vendors selling their handmade arts and crafts.

Guests can enjoy live entertainment, traditional Irish dancing and dozens of tasty eats, including caramel apples, homemade French fries, funnel cakes, fudge and more. Stop by the Country Bake Shop for more delicious goodies, and take home locally grown produce from the farmers’ market.

Proceeds from the volunteer-organized fair go back to the community through a grant program. For more information, visit GalenaCountryFair.com.


Bowl of chili with shredded cheese on top
Photo by iStock/DebbiSmirnoff

Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off

Oct. 14, 2023, Alton 

Head to Alton this fall for some friendly local competition at the annual Downtown Alton Chili Cook-Off hosted by Alton Main Street. The cook-off invites both amateur and professional chefs to compete for prizes in four categories: Individual, Organization, Business and Restaurant. Attendees can vote for their favorite chili in the People’s Choice competition for the coveted silver ladle. The event also features live music from Big George Jr. and the NGK Band.

This year’s cook-off takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday at The Lodge at The Lovejoy located at 401 Piasa St. in Alton. Tickets are available at the door and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Admission includes a sample of chili from each team. Visit downtownalton.com/chili-cook-off or call (618) 463-1016 for more details.


Shadows of the Blue and Gray

Shadows of the Blue and Gray

Oct. 14-15, 2023, Princeton

Hailed as “the most authentic and spectacular Civil War re-enactment in Illinois,” this annual event celebrates and educates guests on a pivotal point in America’s history.

The two-day event takes place at City County Park and includes events for all ages. Be sure to catch the grand entrance of President and Mrs. Lincoln, followed by an address and Lincoln lookalike contest. You’ll also see period music and dance, crafts and battle demonstrations by re-enactors in authentic uniforms.

Learn more about Shadows of the Blue and Gray at shadowsbluegray.com or call (815) 878-9861.


Flannel Fest

Oct. 14-15, 2023, Champaign

As we transition from summer to fall, the weather turns colder, and we trade shorts and tank tops for pants and long-sleeved shirts. You know fall has truly arrived when you start seeing more people wearing flannel prints – after all, fall and flannel go hand in hand. Celebrating this iconic fabric, Champaign invites attendees to wear their favorite flannels and indulge in a day of fun activities held at Hessel Park. Timberwork’s Lumberjack Show will be performing demonstrations throughout the festival, such as axe throwing, logrolling and speed carving. In addition to live music, food trucks and craft beer, visitors can also enjoy arts, crafts, games and even competitions – like the annual mustache competition, a guaranteed fan favorite. Learn more at champaignparks.com/flannelfest.


Vulture Fest activities
Photo credit: Facebook/Makanda Boardwalk Events

Vulture Fest

Oct. 21-22, 2023, Makanda

Every October, soaring red-headed turkey vultures migrate over Makanda and surrounding areas signaling the arrival of fall, and the village celebrates the season with its two-day Vulture Fest event. Plan a visit to enjoy the stunning fall colors of southern Illinois and stick around for the live music, food, shopping and art vendors. Vulture Fest takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, and admission is free.

Visit facebook.com/makandaboardwalkevents or villageofmakanda.com/tourism-events or call (618) 457-0360 for more details.


Photo courtesy of Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers Association

Fall Fox Valley Antiques Show and Sale

Oct. 21-22, 2023, Online

Buried treasure awaits you at the Fall Fox Valley Antiques Show and Sale at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles.

Antique lovers can find authentic pieces from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries at this online event, drawing dealers from all over the U.S. and Canada. Produced by the Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers Association. Admission costs $10. For more information, visit csada.com.


Decorated pumpkins
Photo credit: iStock/darak77

Pumpkin Festival

Oct. 21, 2023, Jacksonville

Head to the Downtown Square in Jacksonville this October for Jacksonville Main Street’s annual Pumpkin Festival. Slated for Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event offers fall fun for the whole family with food and merchandise vendors, a kids’ costume contest, a pumpkin pie-eating competition, pumpkin decorating, a petting zoo and much more. Festival tickets are $10 per person and allow guests to participate in all activities offered.

For more details, visit jacksonvillemainstreet.com/pumpkin-festival or call (217) 245-6884.


facts about pumpkins

Sycamore Pumpkin Festival

Oct. 25-29, 2023, Sycamore 

A tradition for more than 50 years, the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival provides Halloween fun for kids of all ages.

The festival began in 1962, stemming from an idea by Sycamore resident Wally “Mr. Pumpkin” Thurow to offer citizens a fun and creative activity for Halloween. Since then, the event has grown into the city’s largest annual gathering with a yearly average of more than 1,000 entries in the decorated pumpkin display and close to 2,000 participants in the 10K race. The festival also has two carnivals, two indoor craft shows, nonprofit vendors and a closing parade on Sunday. A giant cake-cutting ceremony kicks off the festivities.

Learn more about the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival and see a schedule of events at sycamorepumpkinfestival.com.


Trick-or-treating at BatFest
Photo credit: April Duda Photography

BatFest

Oct. 28, 2023, Batavia

Enjoy a frightfully fun Halloween celebration at BatFest in downtown Batavia on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including trick-or-treating, the Batavia Mothers’ Club Halloween parade, a costume contest, a pumpkin bowl and more. Bring your best jack-o’-lantern from home for the pumpkin-carving contest.

To learn more, visit downtownbatavia.com/event/batfest or call (630) 761-3528.


Pike County Fall Color Drive

Pike County Fall Pickin Days

Oct. 21-22, 2023, Pike County

Discover the beauty of Western Illinois in autumn by taking a scenic drive through Pike County for Fall Pickin Days while stopping in several local towns. During the event, 15 of the county’s towns will offer a unique roster of events, activities, craft vendors and food specialties for those passing through.

For more information about the event, visit the Pike County Fall Pickin’ Days page on Facebook.

COMMENTS

  • “The 73rd Grundy County Corn Festival in 2022 celebrates agriculture with craft shows, music, a carnival, a 5K run, and delicious food. Join the fun, don your jeans and flannels, and enjoy the festivities in downtown Morris.”

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